Naturally, the way consumers choose to engage with online content is constantly changing and evolving. What worked in the past may be considered outdated, stale, or simply ineffective now. Consider pop-up ads, for example. Only several years ago they were considered an effective way to engage and convert customers. Now, however, most people use ad blockers or simply ignore them as a nuisance. If your business wants to engage with customers, your marketing techniques need to evolve with the times, too. That’s where influencer marketing comes in.

Think of influencer marketing as word-of-mouth on steroids. It’s a popular and increasingly effective form of digital marketing in which businesses collaborate with influencers to gain access to their knowledge, expertise, and followers. Influencers are considered experts in their respective fields and can lend credibility to brands who work with them. They are highly trusted by consumers and thus have large sway over their purchase decisions.

The Advantages of Influencers

A great example of influencer marketing is an Instagram post by Kylie Jenner in December 2016. She promoted the brand Fashion Nova by posing in one of their jeans. The post reached millions of her followers and now has over 2.7 million likes on Instagram. The brand itself benefitted highly from the exposure and now has over 8 million followers on its own Instagram.

And this is only one example of how effective influencers can be when utilized correctly. Here are the main advantages you can expect by bringing in an influencer:

A Large and Instant Audience

Most businesses need to painstakingly build their client base, steadily acquiring more customers as they gain in reputation and prestige. Obviously, this can be a painstaking process and one that usually takes places over several years. Even months, if you’re diligent and lucky. Influencers can expedite this process.

Over time, influencers have amassed their own huge followings on social media as they become regarded as reliable and trusted experts in their respective communities. Their posts are able to attract millions of impressions from thousands of visitors. By bringing in an influencer, you instantly have access to their social media followers, who are more likely to trust your brand for collaborating with a known and trusted entity. You also gain access to the influencer’s own knowledge and expertise: a boon that can give you an edge over other businesses.

Attract and Reach High-Quality Customers 24/7/365

Social media never sleeps. Platforms like Instagram allow influencers to continuously deliver organic exposure to their audiences. Influencers can post anytime from anywhere and, likewise, reach anyone at anytime and anywhere. That sheer reach is basically unrivaled by any other form of digital or traditional marketing. This is what makes influencer marketing so effective and so popular among brands. Consider, for example, a single influencer with a follower count of 10 million people. If they post once and that post reaches half of their followers, then that means 5 million unique impressions. And what’s more: each impression has the potential to convert a customer. That’s a lot of business. And sometimes all it takes is one post.

Creators of Engaging, Reliable Content

Which brings us to the next big benefit of bringing influencers into your digital marketing campaign. Influencers essentially act as carriers and amplifiers of your brand’s message. Their selling power is not to be underestimated. As experts in their fields, influencers are able to craft meaningful posts that resonate with their followers. Consumers consider their content to be reliable, knowledgeable, and worth buying. In fact, many people – especially Millennials – rely on the opinions of influencers before making a purchase decision.

Improved Traffic and Higher Return on Investment

Influencers are experts at engaging with people. Through expertly crafted content, they are able to persuade their followers to learn more about your business. A Facebook link that backlinks to one of your services. An Instagram photo highlighting one of your products. A good influencer, with a well-timed and well-crafted post, can funnel immense traffic directly to your website or landing page.

Not only can influencers drive engagement and traffic, but they can also promise huge returns. According to TapInfluence, content created by influencers delivers 11 times higher return on investment (ROI) than traditional digital marketing strategies. Business2Community even estimates that the average influencer marketing campaign generates $6.50 for every $1 invested in the campaign. For any business, these are huge numbers. Take advantage of them with a creative and well-thought-out influencer marketing campaign.